Illuminated note pad holder



H. 0. SMITH ILLUMINATED NOTE PAD HOLDER Sept. 17, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 29, 1956 Fig.2

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ILLUMINATED NOTE PAD HOLDER Filed June 29, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig 3 1 j 4 39 g 75 I z:3i 35 57 A 4 /7 ,l /9 29 V 67 Fig Henry-0. .Smi/h I INVENTOR.

BY w mw United States Patent ILLUMEJATED NOTE PAD HOLDER 0. Smith, New Stuyahok, Territory of Alaska Application June 29, 1956, Serial No. 594,974

6 Claims. (Cl. 281-15) My invention relates to improvements in note pad holders of the type embodying means for illuminating a note pad to facilitate writing thereon.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a holder and illuminating means for a note pad especially constructed and arranged for conveniently making notes on the pad by a person lying in bed in the dark.

Another object is to provide a note pad holder for the above purpose embodying means for securely holding the leaves of a note pad so that they will not become wrinkled or torn and with a top leaf constantly exposed for writing thereon while held firmly in place and illuminated from the top end thereof so that a hand writing on the pad will not cast shadows on the top leaf.

Still another object is to provide in a note pad holder for the above purposes means for carrying replacement parts for illuminating means, such as a spare dry cell and electric light bulbs securely held in place against rattling or vibration and concealed from view when the holder is being used but readily accessible for replacement purposes.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a view in perspective of my improved note pad holder in the preferred embodiment thereof;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view in vertical transverse section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical ectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure l; and,

Figure 4 is a view in plan of the note pad holder with the cover section open.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, my improved holder comprises an oblong, substantially rectangular casing designated generally by the numeral 1. The casing 1 is formed with vertically and horizontally convex front and rear ends 3, 5 and comprises a bottom section 7 and a top cover section 9 hinged at one side edge thereof to one side edge of the lower section 7, as at 11, for closing over the bottom section 7 or opening to one side thereof. Suitable snap action fasteners 13, on the bottom and cover sections 7, 9 yieldingly retain the cover section 9 closed.

The bottom section 7 is divided by a transverse, vertical front partition 17 and by a vertical transverse rear partition 19 into a main compartment 21, a relatively smaller front compartment 23 and a still smaller rear compartment 25. The main compartment 21 contains a loose-leaf binder note pad 27 for fitting therein and preferably resting on a suitable backing panel 29 in the bottom of said compartment 21. The purpose of the compartments 23, will presently be described. Of course, all of the compartments 21, 23, 25 open upwardly for access thereto.

The cover section 9, at the front end 3 of the casing 1 ice is formed with an upwardly and rearwardly extending hood 31 having closed side walls 33 and a transverse vertical rear wall 35 forming a front compartment 37 in the cover section 9 opening downwardly over the compartment 23 when the cover section 9 is closed and opening upwardly for access thereto when the cover section 9 is open. The rear wall 35 seats on the partition 17 when the cover section 9 is closed and is concave-convex and polished to form a light reflector at the rear of the hood 31 for reflecting light rays from an electric light bulb 39 inserted in a rearwardly extending position in a socket 41 in said wall 35 above the note pad 27 for illuminating said pad from the front end of the pad. The hood 31 is formed with a top reflecting lip 43 overhanging the wall 35 and curving downwardly and rearwardly over the electric light bulb 39 to reflect light downwardly and rearwardly therefrom over the note pad 27.

Rearwardly of the rear wall 35 of the hood 31, the cover section 9 is provided with internally, longitudinally channeled side walls 45 and a similarly channeled rear transverse wall 47 lower than the hood 31 for snugly receiving pencils, as at 49, therein and which, when the cover section 9 is closed form a U-frame overlying the sides and rear end of the note pad 27 to hold said pad down against the backing panel 29.

A flashlight dry cell 51 is removably fastened by a resilient clip 53 in the compartment 37 against the top of the hood 31 with one pole 55 engaging one end of a right-angled resilient conductor bar 57 in the compartment 37 suitably fixed at its other end to the socket 41 for grounding thereto. Switch means for energizing the light bulb 39 is provided comprising a plunger 59 in one side wall 33 of the hood 31 carrying a right-angled conductor bar 61 having one end slidably engaging the contact 63 of the light bulb 39 and its other end engageable with the other pole 65 of the dry cell 51 in response to inward sliding of the plunger 59.

A resilient clip 67 is provided in the compartment 23 for holding a spare dry cell 69 against a transverse bottom seat 71 in said compartment 23.

A plurality of resilient U-clips 73 are provided in the compartment 25 on the partition 19 for holding spare electric light bulbs 75 in said compartment.

As will now be apparent, when a note pad 27 of a given thickness is placed in the compartment 21, it will be firmly held down in place at its side and rear end edges by closing of the cover section 9 and latching of the same which results in the side and rear walls 45, 47 of said section 9 engaging the top leaf of the note pad 27 at its sides and rear end. When a clean top sheet is desired, the cover section 9 is opened, the pad 27 lifted and the used top leaf turned under the pad. Then the cover section 9 is closed to engage said walls 45, 47 with said new top leaf. By pushing the plunger 59 inwardly, the electric light bulb 39 will be energized and the light rays therefrom directed by the wall 35 and lip 43 over the top sheet of the pad 27 from the front end of the sheet or pad to illuminate said top sheet for writing in the dark thereon and without danger of a hand writing on the pad casting a shadow on the leaf. By opening the cover section 9 the electric light bulb 39 and dry cell 51 may be conveniently removed for ready replacement when necessary by a spare bulb 25 and a spare dry cell 69 from the compartments 25 and 23.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described,

and accordingly all suitable modifications and eqnivalents may be resortedto, falling-:within the scope of the invention as, claimed What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A note pad holder comprising an oblong substantially rectangular casing; having. front and rear. ends, a

bottom section and a lcoiver section-hinged to, the bottom section for opening andzclosing, said bottom section having' front and'rear transverse partitions therein dividing. the same into a rectangularv compartment having a note pad fitted thereintwith a top leafuppermost, said cover section comprising a rear end-vwalland side walls forming a U-frame overlying and engaging. a rear end and side edges. of said top leafwhen the cover is closed to hold said note pad in said chamber, and illuminating means for said top leaf on saidcover section at the front end of the casing. V V

2. A notepad holder as inclaim 1, said end and side walls being internally channeled to adapt the same to hold pencils.

3. A note pad holder as in claim 1, said illuminating means comprising a hood risingfirom said cover section at the front end of the casing and having a rear light re- '4 flecting wall facingsaidpad, an electric light bulb ex: tending through said reflecting wall out of said hood, a dry, cell in saidhood, switch means in said hood for electn'cally connecting said cell to said bulb, and a plunger extending out of said hood for operating said switch means.

4. A note pad holder as in claim 1, said illuminating means comprising a hood rising from said cover section at the. front end of the casing and having a rear light reflecting wall facing said pad and a light reflecting lip overhanging said reflecting wall and extending rearwardly therefrom, an electric light bulb in said wall under said lip, and means in said hood for energizing said light bulb.

5. A note pad holder as in claim 1, said partitions forming end compartments in said bottom section for replacement accessories for said illuminating means.

6. A note pad holder as in claim 3, said hood having an open bottom for access to said dry cell when the cover section is open to permit removal and replacement of 20 said dry cell.

No references cited 

